Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) has called on its customers to register their interest in providing 250MWs of "flexibility" to the energy system over the next eight years. Owners of low-carbon technologies, generators and solutions that can absorb demand can earn money, support network security, and the transition to net zero in a cost-effective manner.
The Climate Change Committee has forecast electricity demand to potentially treble as the UK and Scottish Governments work to reach their respective 2050 and 2045 net zero targets. This will require a significant increase in electricity infrastructure and investment in the UK's networks. However, through utilising flexibility and smart management of the energy system, traditional network reinforcement can be delayed and in certain instances avoided.
SSEN is calling on generation, storage and demand side response owners and operators in the north of Scotland and central southern England to register their interest in being part of that journey.
SSEN is seeking to work with their customers to defer or where possible avoid traditional network reinforcement. SSEN takes a technology agnostic approach and is open to all distributed energy resource owners and operators getting in touch with their solutions. By signposting their interest customers will be prequalified to participate in alleviating constraint on the networks through more formal tenders in the future.
As part of this signposting process customers are able to register online here.
Stewart Reid, Head of Future Networks said:
"SSEN takes a 'flexibility first' approach to network infrastructure investment. That means we assess smart flexibility service markets when reviewing requirements for building significant new electricity infrastructure."
"By registering their interest generators and owners of low-carbon technologies and solutions will help provide sight of where flexibility exists and support informed decision making that supports a cost-effective transition to a smarter electricity system. This is an exciting opportunity for owners of generation assets to play a proactive role in that journey."
Through utilising a single flexibility contract at the start of 2020, SSEN avoided the equivalent of 2,450 tonnes of CO2 emissions, and saved £230,000 in the process. SSEN urges any customer that is interested in this journey to either register online or email Future.Networkssse.com.